Naltrexone for Early Problem Drinkers

Early problem drinkers are prevalent in the United States. Recent controlled trials have shown that brief interventions in the primary care setting can reduce drinking and alcohol-related problems in patients who lack evidence of alcohol dependence.

Although naltrexone (Revia) has been approved for the treatment of alcohol dependence, few pharmacotherapy studies have been undertaken with early problem drinkers. This study is an 8-week trial of naltrexone versus placebo, combined with coping skills treatment that either focuses on targeted use of medication or serves as background to daily use of the medication. A total of 160 early problem drinkers recruited through screening in primary care medical settings will be randomly assigned to one of four treatment groups. Followup evaluations will be conducted at the end of treatment and again 3, 6, and 12 months.